Beauty Behind The Mask
by ftea
Summary: Gray was dancing with Juvia. Mirajane's attempt at getting the pair close together was certainly working.


Gray casually walked into the guild, moving to sit at the bar of Fairy Tail quietly. Mirajane was behind the counter, cleaning one of the glasses from a previous customer. The s-class mage decided to strike up a conversation.

"Hello, Gray", she gave one of her kind-hearted smiles to the man.

"Hey, Mira", the ice-make wizard lazily replied, "Can I get something strong please?"

"Rough day?", Mira empathised, a worried look forming on her face while she picked up a bottle from the shelf full of alcoholic drinks.

"Well, I just haven't found any missions for Juvia and I to complete. I promised her that the next one I took, I'd bring her with me", Gray rubbed his face with his hands before he rested his head on the freshly polished countertop. Mirajane suddenly perked up, as if she'd just remembered something.

"That reminds me! Sorry to have made you wait, but I found a job on the notice board and I thought it was perfect for you and Juvia so I decided to reserve it", she handed Gray his alcoholic beverage before pulling out a piece of folded paper from a stack under the table.

Gray carefully took the crumpled paper from Mira's hand and inspected it closely. He always checked job requests to make sure they were genuine, especially since Juvia was involved this time. He didn't want to risk her safety.

The request stated that they had to enter some sort of masked ball in order to maintain order and make sure things went smoothly. It seemed that a rich family had sent the request, with a hefty reward that was more than enough for him and his guild mate to live off. Overall, the job didn't seem fake in any way, but Gray was still skeptical.

"The other guests must all know each other though, right? Won't it be weird if two strangers enter the party?", Gray questioned, his face painted with a frown.

"It's okay, nobody will see you under your masks", the lady behind the work table calmly stated, "all you need to do is dress up. Just don't forget the mask. You won't attract any unwanted attention".

Gray seemed convinced by Mirajane that the request didn't have any hidden information that he didn't know about. He just missed Mira's sly grin with mischief written all over it as he left the crowded guild.

* * *

Gray stared at his reflection in the rectangular shaped bathroom mirror. He wore a pristine black suit with a clean, white shirt but he had decided to pass on the tie. Those things were choking hazards. He had remembered the mask, of course. The solid black fabric was tied just on top of his nose. His hair was in the same spiked style he usually left it in, though now it looked strangely smart alongside the other elements of his outfit. He resisted the urge to strip down as he left his apartment.

The ice mage abruptly stopped his car when he reached Fairy Hills. Gray opened the car door and tightly shut it again before walking towards the timber frame of Juvia's flat. He knocked once and heard a light scurry of high-heeled steps. Then she opened the door, and Gray's jaw literally dropped.

Juvia was wearing a silk black dress that fit tightly against her curvy figure. The dress had a plunging neckline that showed a lot more cleavage than was necessary and there was a cut from just above her mid thigh that stopped at the end of the dress. Her mask was made of black lace and designed in a cat eye shape.

Damn it. Who knew a mask could be so _sexy_?

Gray didn't know where to look. It was like she was torturing him inside with all the skin she was putting on show. He tried to maintain his composure and finally settled for staring at her face.

"You...you look beautiful", he managed, hoping his gaze didn't accidentally wander to any other part of her.

"Thank you", her cheeks developed a blush, "Juvia thinks you look very handsome".

The man felt a slight red tint crawl its way slowly up his own face. He stepped to the side, allowing her to pass through and close her entrance. As she left Fairy Hills, the ice mage really, _desperately_ tried not to focus on her curves. She surprised him by offering her slim hand.

He took it in his own, and when they reached his vehicle, like a true gentleman, he opened the car door for her to sit down. Gray then relaxed in his own seat as he started the convertible.

The journey wasn't long, but during the ride he had somehow unconsciously let his hand rest on her mid-thigh, the one where the revealing dress was cut. Juvia silently squealed at first, but she swiftly let her own palm lay on top of his hold. Gray traced different patterns on her pale skin; circles and little 8's while he kept his eyes on the winding road ahead of them.

When they eventually reached their destination, the man was astounded by their surroundings. The mansion that the party was being held in had an elegant coating of beige on the outside, with the many spotless windows that surrounded the building emitting bright light from the inside. Bouquets of white roses in artistic pots were meticulously aligned in front of the open doorway. The pots were decorated with lace tied in tight bows.

Gray opened the door once again for Juvia when he left his vehicle, this time offering his own hand for her while taking a slight bow. Juvia was surprised but maintained a calm complexion as she entered through the double doors with him. The main hallway had a grand staircase with a red carpet stretching through all the steps. Butlers with meticulous uniforms were handing out small snacks on silver platters to the guests. Most of the guests were located at a room to the left of the vast hallway, in which Gray could see a long dining table strewn with various foods. Finally, there were stage lights, yes, _stage lights_ , that lighted the floor with different colours from the ceiling. A distinct sound was playing in the background, which the ice mage guessed to be a DJ. The client really _did_ have a lot of money to spend with if any of the features in this gathering were an indication.

There were visitors with bubbling champagne glasses that eyed the pair suspiciously, and Gray began to wonder if Mirajane meant it when she said "you won't attract any unwanted attention". The ice mage guided Juvia towards the main room in which the ball was being held. That's when he realised that pairs of couples were dancing slowly to the music and he stopped in his tracks.

Dancing. Of course, this was a ball after all. He had been so stupid. That was what he was doubtful of in the first place, but he hadn't quite put his finger on. The only way they would be able to look indifferent to everyone else was by dancing. All he had to do was summon up the courage to ask Juvia to dance. Easier said than done, though he gulped and turned to face her.

"Would you like to dance?", Gray asked, the blush already on his countenance only increasing.

The water mage's lips formed a smile, making his heart stop momentarily. "Juvia would love to dance with you", she responded, her voice staying collected, although Gray knew she was probably secretly trying to hold in her happiness.

Gray's hands skimmed her figure before landing on her waist as she lifted her arms to rest them on his muscled shoulders. Their eyes never left each other as they edged closer to the dance floor, even with their masks hiding some of their complexion.

Their bodies moved swiftly together to the slow beat. Juvia's eyes closed as she snuggled into Gray's toned chest. Her fingers traced the back of his neck. His own thumbs gently rubbed her hips.

And then the music changed. To something much quicker and more technical. Tango.

His hand grabbed her hip, while his other clasped her left hand and they both positioned their hands away from them. Juvia's fingers lightly landed on his shoulder, preparing them for the dance that was to come.

Gray found himself pulling Juvia closer to him, and her curves fit nicely to his body. Their faces were now just inches from each other. He could even feel her hot breath fanning over his lips.

The brave action made Juvia boldly grip his shoulder and hand a little tighter. Her slender legs traced a semicircle on the floor before kicking back, feet pointing and showing off her heels. Gray could only watch in awe at how she could dance so gracefully.

"I didn't know you could tango", Gray found himself saying, wondering how she looked so natural like this, almost as if she was in her element.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me, Gray", Juvia expressed, a smile playing on her luscious lips.

Gray didn't even notice how she addressed herself differently, and that she had gotten rid of the usual -sama she added at the end, because damn it, when did his name sound so good coming from her mouth?

Both mages found themselves fighting the urge to get even more daring as their bodies glided through the lit dance floor. But Gray couldn't hold back anymore. He suddenly felt a surge of some feeling he had never felt before, like he wanted her. Surprising even himself, he let his hand pick up her exposed thigh and gripped it, letting her part slide though his hand as he brought it closer to his body.

Was it just him or was it beginning to get hot?

Heat was especially reaching a certain part of his body that he could only hope she wouldn't notice. Stripping wasn't an option though, even if the tension between them was burning his insides. Gray lowered his opposite hand to slide down Juvia's back as her upper body leaned down. When she shot up again, they almost looked like they were ready to kiss at any moment because they were so close.

They were both panting, Gray finding that his usual cool breath had now turned hot just like hers. The pair were so caught up in what was happening between them, they hadn't noticed that the rest of the guests were circling around them, leaving them as the only ones on the floor. The crowd had looks of pure awe at the pair, while some women complained at their husbands for not dancing so well with them. The majority made comments about them centainly being a couple and that they were both very attractive together.

The crowd forming brought Gray and Juvia back to reality and they stepped away from each other, both blushing from all the attention.

Before they knew it, the client for the job request clinked a glass of alcohol at the large stairway, stating that the masked ball was now over and that the guests could collect their belongings in the hallway.

Once Gray and Juvia were sure that all visitors had left the building, they went into Gray's vehicle and prepared themselves for the long ride ahead. They were getting comfortable though as Juvia lend onto Gray's shoulder while he manoeuvred the car, constantly focusing on how she moved below his head.

Gray was going to have a word with Mirajane tomorrow.

* * *

 **How did you guys like this story? It's the first fanfic I've published so I would really appreciate it if you guys reviewed if possible ;) . Also, if you really enjoyed this Gruvia oneshot, add it to your favourites if you want to read it again. Thanks for taking the time to read .**


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